Canadian musician Jacob Hoggard denies that he raped the woman who is accusing him of sexual assault, or that he touched her sexually in any way without her consent.
Hoggard is on the stand in the northeastern Ontario community of Haileybury, where he pleaded not guilty in a criminal trial that began last week.
Canadian musician Jacob Hoggard is pictured in Toronto on Thursday, Oct. 6, 2022. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/Alex Lupul)
The lead singer of the band Hedley told a jury this morning that he and the complainant in the case had sex in nearby Kirkland Lake, Ont., after his band performed a show eight years ago.
During four days of emotional testimony last week, the woman, who was 19 years old at the time, accused Hoggard of raping, choking, slapping and urinating on her during the alleged assault.
Hoggard’s defence lawyer Megan Savard said in an opening statement this morning that she expects Hoggard will tell the jury there was no doubt in his mind that the encounter was consensual.
She says two crew members who worked the Hedley concert that night will also testify about the events leading up to the alleged assault, and she expects them to contradict the complainant’s story.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 1, 2024.
Opening arguments are expected to get underway today in the sexual assault trial of Canadian musician Jacob Hoggard. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Alexandra Newbould
Background
Jacob Hoggard was charged in 2022 for an alleged sexual assault in Kirkland Lake on June 25, 2016.
His former band had performed the night before at the small town’s homecoming festival.
In December 2022, he elected to be tried by a jury rather than by a judge alone.
Fourteen jurors were selected Monday, including two alternates. The two alternates were dismissed as the testimony got underway.
Tremblay is presiding over the trial at the Haileybury courthouse.
The case is being prosecuted by Crown Attorney Lilly Gates and Assistant Crown Attorney Peter Keen while Hoggard is being defended by attorneys Megan Savard and Kally Ho.
Ontario Provincial Police Sgt. Dalton Crockett, the lead investigator in the case, is sitting behind the Crown attorney’s table and expects to be present throughout the trial.
Hoggard stood up in court Monday morning and pled not guilty to the sexual assault charges.